Detector-bar for railroad-switches



Patented May-'30, I899.

L. CARRIER E'. Z. CLUW. DETECTOR BAR FOB RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

(Application filed Dec. 80, 1895.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES P T NT O FICE.

LYMAN CARRIER AND ESIO Z. GLOW, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

DETECTOR-BAR FOR 'RAl LR OAD- SWITC HES.

SIPECIFICATIDN forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,741, dated May 30, 1899.

Application filed December 30, 1898. Serial No. 700,686. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LYMAN CARRIER and E810 'Z. GLOW, citizens of theUnited States of America, residing at Joliet, in the county of \Vill and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detector-Bars for Railroad-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to. the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in detector-bars for railroad-switches for use in preventing movement of the switch while car-wheels are on the movable rails or rails adjacent to the switch-rails, which improvements are fully set forth and described in the following specification and claims, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference thereon,

forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view taken on line 1 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, and showing in addition a section of a car-wheel standing on the track and detector-bar; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of Fig. 1, showing the position of the detector-bar as it would appear after having been moved forward from the position shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, P represents an ordinar r railroad-rail resting on ordinary cross-ties L.

D is a bar secured to the ties at the side of the rail P by means of plates K or in any other way desired. A is a similar bar, which may be called the detector-bar, arranged directly over the stationary bar D and resting thereon through the medium of the rollerwheels 0, which are connected with each other by means of the bar B and pivotally connected therewith in such manner that they may roll on. the bar D as the other bars A and B are moved forward and backward. The movable bars A and B are held in the position above stationary bar D by means of arms, such as shown at O in Fig. 1, or by any other means desired, only so they are free to be moved endwise. The bars A and D are formed on their edges facing each other with undulating surfaces, as shown at S on bar A and at r on stationary. bar D, which undulating surfaces preferably extend only a short distance, as shown in Fig. 1, far enough to accomplish the object desired. The rollerwheels 0 are placed between the bars Aand D, between their said undulating surfaces, as shown in Fig. 1, so that when the detectorbar A moves forward it will ride on said roller-wheels G on itsuudulated part and said roller-wheels will roll on the stationary bar D on its undulated part, so that whenever the detector-bar A is moved forward from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3 the roller-wheels C will have also been rolled forward, so as to stand between the apexes of the undulated surfaces ofsaid bars, as shown in Fig. 3, which causes the detectorbar A to be elevated above the top of the rail P, as shown in said figure. The said barsA and B are intended to be connected with an ordinary railroad-switch, by means of which they may be moved, said switch not being shown.

H is a lever pivotally connected at its lower end to an arm G, attached to the permanent or stationary bar D, or may be pivotally C5011- nected to any other suitable object. The detector-bar A and the bar B are each pivotally connected with said lever above its fulcrum by means of the links E and F,.respectively, as shown in Fig. 1. lever is intended to. be connected with any ordinary switch-stand mechanism by means of a rod J, said switch-stand mechanism not being shown, as it forms no part of this invention. Whenever the switch is operated, it will through the medium of such connection with the bars A andB move them endwise in either direction. When the car-wheels are standing on the railroad-track on its part adjacent to the detector-barA,as shown in Fig. 2, the carwheels will prevent the detector-bar and the switch to which it attaches from being moved, as when the detector-bar moves from the po-. sition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it must necessarily be elevated to the position shown in Fig. 3, which is impossible while the carwheels stand over the detector-bar, so that the switch cannot be moved and run the cars off the track while they are over the detector-bar.

It is intended that the detector-barAshall be long enough so as to extend quite a long distancein either direction from the switch,

The upper-end of said.

so as to prevent turning of the switch some little time before a train reaches the switch, and it is intended that when the lever 11 has been given its full throw in either direction the detector-bar A will be down out of the Way of a passing train. It is only when a train is over the detector-bar that the switch is prevented from being turned in either direction, as the detector-bar is only elevated to the position shown in Fig. 3 just while the 5 road-switches, shown and described, the comswitch is being turned in either direction.

As the stay-bar B, carrying the roller-wheels O, is pivotally connected to the lever H between its fulcrum and the point of pivot of bar A therewith through the medium of link E, the bar A may move faster than the rollerwheels, as it rides along on-them, and said stay-bar serves to maintain said roller-wheels at the proper distance apart.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as, follows, to wit:

1. The combination, with the railroad-rail P, of the bar D secured to the ties at the side of said rail, and having an undulated upper surface, the bar A arranged above bar D and having an undulated lower surface, the 1 V roller-wheels G, for supporting bar A on bar I D and located between their undulated surfaces, bar 13 for connecting said roller-wheels,

lever I-I, arm G for pivotally' connecting the lower end of said lever with bar D, link E for pivotally connecting bar A with said lever, link F for pivotally connecting bar B with said lever, and the means for holding said bars in place and for connecting them with a switch mechanism substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the detector-bar mechanism for railbination of a bar secured at the side of the railroad-rails on the ties, a second like bar located above said permanent bar and adapted to have end movement, said bars having facin g undulating surfaces, roller-wheels located per bar on said permanent bar in such manher that end movement of said upper bar will cause it to have vertical as well as end movement, and the means for connecting said movable bar and roller-wheels with a switch in echanism, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

. LYMAN CARRIER.

'ESIO Z. OLOVV. Witnesses:

THos. I-I. HUTOHINS, E. A. HUTCHINS. 

